Vol. 76/No. 7      February 20, 2012

They have been awaiting trial for more than four years on charges of “unlawful possession of firearms” and “participating in an organized criminal group.”

Government prosecutors added a new indictment last September, alleging the group’s intention was murder, arson, kidnapping and other crimes.

“The police accusations against us are ridiculous,” said Iti in a phone interview with the Militant following the announcement.

The new indictment was filed after the government was forced to withdraw trumped-up firearms charges made against 13 others following a massive police operation on Oct. 15, 2007, dubbed “Operation 8.”

At that time more than 300 cops raided some 60 homes across the country and arrested 18 people. The small township of Ruatoki—homeland of the Tuhoe people—was placed under a lockdown as heavily armed police set up roadblocks and rampaged through homes.

Police claimed the raids were a response to an imminent “terrorist” threat and that those arrested had taken part in training camps nearby. Using warrants under the 2002 Terrorism Suppression Act, police had secretly shot videos, bugged houses and cars, and tapped phone calls and text messages over the preceding year. Most of those arrested were held in jail for nearly a month.

The raids sparked protests throughout New Zealand. In face of this, Solicitor General David Collins announced in November 2007 that he would not authorize laying charges under the Terrorism Act. The defendants were released from jail, but police continued to press the frame-up under the Arms Act.

Support for the demand to drop the charges has grown as the case enters its fifth year. A documentary movie, Operation 8: Deep in the Forest, exposing the police frame-up, has been screened at cinemas throughout the country since its release last April.

Government prosecutors had been planning a major show trial to open in Auckland last September. But on the eve of the trial, Sept. 2, the Supreme Court ruled that illegally obtained cop surveillance was impermissible in court. Charges against 13 of the defendants were then withdrawn at the High Court in Auckland Sept. 12. One of the remaining defendants, Tuhoe Lambert, had died in July.

However, in a 3-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the same illegally obtained evidence could be used to prosecute the remaining four defendants on more serious charges of “participating in an organized criminal group.” This opened the way to the new indictment Sept. 15, alleging the group was “conspiring” to commit violent crimes.

A statement released by Valerie Morse Sept. 16 on behalf of the October 15th Solidarity committee denounced the new indictment against the remaining four defendants as “utterly unsubstantiated by any credible evidence. … The charges are rubbish. The case is rubbish, and has been since October 15th 2007. The charges should be dropped now.”

Sixty people attended a public meeting in Wellington Feb. 3 to condemn the frame-up trial. Meetings and protests are planned in Auckland to coincide with the start of the trial. Information can be found at the website http://october15thsolidarity.info.
 
 
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